Perhaps
by Ninja-band-aid
Summary: Ishida and Ichigo are up to their usual Hollow wagers again. But will the prize be relationship news or survivor's guilt?


_"I'm so sorry, I-hi--. I'm so, so sorry."_

Four hours earlier…

"GLOMP ATTACK!" Ishida looked up to find a sudden attack of orange hair in his immediate proximity. And then the orange was all he could see, because the body it was attached to had tackled him to the ground.  
"ICHIGO!" he yelled once his vision clicked back into place and his head stopped ringing, "Get off of me!" He began to hit the boy furiously on he back and arms. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.  
"I thought that was obvious, Ishi," Ichigo cooed, refusing to let go or move away any further then a slight pull backwards to connect eyes, "Or are you deaf?"  
"What?" the pinned boy asked, blinking.  
"You've been glomped. I DID yell it, after all." Ichigo smiled, oh-so-satisfied with himself.  
Ishida glared. "Get. Off. Now." His tone left absolutely no room for argument.  
Ichida grinned back. "Make me."  
A bolt of energy then hit him in the stomach. He was thrown backward with a "Wuhf!" of air exiting his lungs at high-speed. He was left flat on his ass, coughing and gasping.  
The attacker stood and brushed himself off, saying, "That's what you get when you dare me like that." He looked up and then back down to the still-floored Ichigo. "I don't appreciate such treatment."  
"Come oooon," Ichigo whined once his breath had returned enough to allow speech, "Am I suddenly not allowed to be affectionate with my boyfriend?"  
Ishida winced slightly. "I wish you wouldn't call me that in public," he muttered, cheeks pinking very slightly.  
And, indeed, they were in public. Very in public. School was just barely out, and they were on the green immediately outside. Students milled about everywhere, and more then one rubber-necker had been watching their exchange with great interest. If anyone had been any closer, they would have wondered why Ichigo had been flung off without Ishida even touching him (but never doubt the human ability to provide a logical explanation- surely Ishida was just fast with his kangaroo kicks).  
"Why not?" Ichigo demanded, "You are, aren't you?"  
He had to nod to that. They had indeed made a few more or less formal agreements as to the standing of their relationship. They were an item, but that didn't change the fact that Ishida didn't think the entire school needed to be aware of it.  
Ichigo didn't share his feeling. "So then why can't I call you that?" he asked, "And why won't you let me hug you?"  
He dodged the question, looking away awkwardly, as if he was suddenly incredibly interested in the exchange that Orihime and Tatsuki were having a few yards away (my those two were close… nice how they felt comfortable enough to practice kissing with one another in public!).  
When he looked back around, Ichigo was on his feet and back to his side. "Ishida," he urged, "Come on. This is getting ridiculous." A hand reached out to touch him softly on the arm. "You and I both know. So why can't everybody else?"  
"Because…" he said defensively, "People don't… they wouldn't understand… and I can't have that hanging over me at school." He closed his eyes, shuddering to think about what his grandmother would say.  
"We understand," he replied, "I understand. You understand. That's good enough for me," his eyes locked on the boy, "why can't it be good enough for you?"  
Ishida did not- could not- reply. He only stared off into space as Ichigo caressed his side gently.  
"Ishi…" he tried, tone sweet and low and very close to his ear. His breath tickled his neck. "Come on, Ishi…"  
He turned around to face Ichigo at last. "I… I'm sorry," he said, "I've just had a bad day at school. I'm tired. I shouldn't be taking it out on you. I'm sorry. But you can't do this in public! Can't you just respect my feelings on the matter and let it go?"  
Ichigo frowned, stepping back and crossing his arms. "No I can't just let it go! This matters to me. I want the whole world to know that you're mine! Why can't I-"  
"Yours?" Ishida cut him off in an insulted tone, "Oh I'm yours, am I?" He drew backwards, eyes flashing.  
Ichigo groaned, rolling his eyes. "Oh you know what I meant!"  
"Yes, I do," he agreed, "You meant that I'm yours- all yours! Well bit news: I'm not 'yours', Soul Reaper," the last words were said in a low tone, clearly intended as an insult. Ichigo understood this and, though he didn't see why the title was so grave, he knew that the Quincy saw it as such. He was duly slighted.  
"Why you-" he began, but was cut off by a swift hand grabbing his arm. He looked down to find Rukia. She didn't look pleased.  
"We have a situation," she said in a growl, "There's a huge cluster of Hollows downtown- I need you right now." A soft beeping was coming from a small 'cell phone' in her pocket, as well as a muted grumbling from her backpack. Kon was antsy.  
Ichigo frowned at her, and then at his boyfriend. "…We can finish this later. I'll see you-"  
"We could you your help, too," Rukia said cluelessly to Ishida. Ichigo began to argue, but she was already ripping out something resembling a PEZ dispenser and a protesting stuffed lion.

† † †

It took next to no time at all for all three teenagers (well, two teenagers- Rukia didn't really count) to be ready and downtown. Though the situation was grave as always- Hollows were no joke- Ichigo was looking forward to the coming fight. It helped him think, as well as being an excellent chance to blow off some steam. He had never raised a hand to anyone he cared about, and never would. These fights helped to ensure that he had a much better outlet for any rage inside of himself.  
Furthermore, he was already plotting an idea, as he was often wont to do.  
"Hey Ishida!" he called to the boy running to his left.  
Ishida looked up, perpetual frown firmly in place. "What?"  
"Remember that time we had the contest to see who was best at killing Hollows?"  
"Yes. What of it?"  
"Let's do it again."  
Caught off-guard, Ishida slowed a bit. "What?" he blinked.  
"Whoever kills the most of these suckers gets to make the final call on going public," Ichigo wagered. He seemed ever so confident.  
Ishida's frown deepened, but he had just as much faith in his abilities as Ichigo did in his own. "Fine. I accept."

† † †

The fights went quickly. There turned out to be a cool dozen monsters spread throughout downtown. There was one close call in the park, with a few children, but overall things went smoothly.  
They were down to the last beast within a mere two hours. Ishida had the lead, but if Ichigo tied it up now, they'd need to find another means of decision. And Ishida had no intention of letting that go on.  
Funny how they so easily hid their true natures from their schoolmates, but when it came to their romantic liaisons thing became so difficult.  
Kisses were more readily visible then Hollows.  
The two cornered this particular Hollow in a windowless alleyway. Two tall buildings- a post office and a tea shop. So quaint and tradition-revival. So clueless. People inside went about their little lives- sipping tea, sending letters- totally unaware of the drama playing out just a few feet away.  
The Hollow itself was a hideous number. It resembled a bag full of oranges- the skin squirmed as things moved and rolled beneath the surface. The flesh looked liquid, and whatever orbs and shapes hidden within were gelatinously firm like red bean cakes. Malleable and stomach-churning.  
Ichigo charged, intending to slash it open and spill its innards like so many bagged marbles. Ishida stood back, drawing his bow and aiming for one simple, clean shot to the head. No need to waste Soul Energy peppering it chock full when a single bolt would do.  
Ichigo got there first. He sprinted in, letting out a loud battle cry as he hoisted his weapon high above his head. One long downward strike was his intent, just as Ishida rolled his eyes and took careful aim.  
One sliced. One shot. And one never finished the action.  
One fell to the ground as the Hollow cried out. The monster hit the ground with a thunderous rumble felt only by those with the ability to see. One boy groaned with pain as he fell to the dirty concrete. The other gasped, eyes flying wide as he screamed the other's name.  
"NO!" he yelled as a monstrous body was absorbed into the earth, moving on to either Oblivion or Soul Cleansing, "NO!"

† † †

Someone missed. Ishida was standing closer then either of them had thought. Ichigo had a tendency to underestimate his own reach. A blade brought back too far. An arrow sloppily loosed. One must have happened, because a form lay prone, struck down by something other then a Hollow.  
What did it matter? One was down. And the other was begging him to live.  
"Please," he begged, crouching over the barely inhaling body, "Please! Don't die. You're stronger then this- you can hang on! Just a little longer. Let me save you. Please. I love you too much for you to die. Please…" He collapsed, head burying in his fallen lover's shallowly heaving chest, "Please!"  
His pleas rose in volume, crested, and then fell into a whisper. They both knew it was useless. There was barely time left for a single, pained kiss. No time. No time at all. Not to run for help. Not to cry. Not to try to save him. It was too late as soon as he missed the mark- he had killed his own lover. By sword of by arrow, he was gone.  
Nothing left but the pain of that knowledge, and a body to bury.

† † †

Perhaps Ishida stood at Ichigo's funeral and announced how in love they had been. Perhaps he told the funny story of how he'd been won over- silly little pick-up lines and stolen kisses in the hallway. Perhaps people looked at him differently, and he didn't care because he knew Ichigo wouldn't want him to be sad for that.  
Perhaps Ichigo sat in the back at Ishida's memorial. Perhaps he said nothing. Not an anecdote. Not a muttered payer. Out of respect for a final wish of silence, perhaps he kept his mouth shut. Only a whisper and a few silent tears after everyone had left the newly turned earth at the graveside.

† † †

Or, then again, perhaps not.  
Perhaps Rukia was there with good old Hat-and-Sandals-Guy. Perhaps they carried a dying and wounded body back to a certain shop, and did some very hasty patchwork.  
Perhaps Ishida sat up a few hours later and smacked Ichigo over the top of his head, muttering: "Baka."  
Perhaps Ichigo opened his eyes to a mournful Ishida at his bedside, and whispered: "So does this mean I win?"  
Perhaps they went on to let everyone know that they were inseparable. Perhaps they kept up a covert romance. Perhaps they figured out that, either way, they loved each other all the more.

† † †

Or then again, perhaps not.  
Survivor's guilt or happily ever after? One must be true. And two within the one. And either way: two as one.


End file.
